Burial-casket



(No Model'.)

H. M. MESE.

BURIAL GASKET. No. 426,469. Patented Apr.. 29, 1890.

@Witnesses UNITED STATES nTnNT Fries.

HENRY M. REESE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

B U RlAL-CAS KET.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent N0. 426,469, dated .April 29, 1890.

Application tiled .Tuly 19, 1889. Serial No. 318,066. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

lle it known that I, HENRY M. REESE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jelferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvemcntsin Burial-Oaskets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cofiins or buriahcaskets; and it consists substantially in such features of construction as will hereinafter be more particularly described and claimed.

I-Ieretofore in the construction of wooden coflins and burial-caskets it has been usual, in most instances, to provide for the moving or sliding of the face-glass by forming a rabbet or groove in the edges of the wood surrounding the opening in the lid or cover through which the face of the corpse is viewed; while in other instances a separate wooden frame has been attached to the under side of the coffin-lid, both to support the glass and permit the same to be moved when desired.y In

-both of the instances referred to it frequently happens that the edges of the glass will cut into the wood and create rough edges which catch and hold the glass and prevent its easy movement, thus causing embarrassments and interruptions at times when it is most desirable that everything shall work with ease and certainty.

I obviate the trouble and inconveniences experienced with the instances referred to by providing a metal frame having grooves in which the face-glass is supported, and in which it is free to be moved without check or interruption, all as will more fully hereinn after appear when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a bottom plan view of the lid of a coffin or burial-casket having my improvements embodied in connection therewith, and Fig, 2 is a similar view represent ing a slight alteration or change in the ar rangement of the metallic frameh Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a cofiin or burialcasket, showing the manner in which the faceglass is held or supported. Fig. 4 is a perspective view representing` the `preferred manner of constructing the metallic frame.

It will be understood, of course, that the metallic frame can be constructed in various u flattened, and their upper halves or leaves p are then turned straight up and back at right angles, thereby forming channels or grooves for receiving the glass, and leaving free por tions for attachment of the frames to the strips which hold them in place.

Reference being had to the several parts of' the drawings by the let-ters marked thereon, A represents an ordinary coffin or burial-casket, and B represents its cover or lid, in which the usual opening a is formed to permit of the face of a corpse being viewed. Secured to the under side of the said lid B, to opposite sides of the opening c, longitudinal strips b b are secured, and attached to such strips are longitudinal frames or strips of metal c c, so bent or shaped as to form grooves into which the face-glass C moves. In the present instance the grooves lare formed by taking pieces of tin or other suitable sheet metal and bending the same together at the middle longitudinally, and iiattening the two sides together, as shown at d, then turning or bending the upper halves upwardly and outwardly or back, at right angles, as shown at e f. In this way free portions g are left so as to enable attachment of the frames to the strips Z) b, and in each frame a groove or channel h is formed for receiving the glass. Other ways of forining the grooves could be resorted to, as is quite apparent; hence I do not wish to be un-v derstood as limiting myself to the preferred construction herein shown.

In Fig. 2 of the drawing I have shown transverse strips at the ends of thelongitudinal strips, the same heilig also formed with IOO grooves in like manner, and which end pieces I sometimes employ to obviate any cutting of the Wood by the edges ofthe glass should the latter be drawn or moved down or up too suddenly or with too much force.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a coffin or burial-casket, a metal frame attached to the under side of the lid and surrounding the face-opening therein and extending longitudinally beyond the limit of the opening, the said frame being formed or provided with .a groove in which the face-glass is supported and in which the grooves by iirst bending them together longif.

tudinally and then bending their upper portions or layers upwardly. and back at right angles, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY M. REESE. Witnesses:

H. L. KRIEGER, JNO. MAAS, Jr. 

